Mount Cook scenic flights cost from $217 to $525 per person, and Tasman Glacier heli-hikes from $569 to $597. For a first flight in the middle of that range, Glacier Helicopters’ Helicopter Flight with Alpine Landing is $277 for 30 minutes, rated 4.8 from 47 reviews. For $37 more, INFLITE’s ski plane and helicopter combo gives you 45 minutes and a landing on the Tasman Glacier, the lowest cost per minute of any flight from Mount Cook. The table lists every flight we cover from Mount Cook, Glentanner and Lake Tekapo.
Mount Cook flight prices, cheapest first
Prices are USD per person, the “from” figure on each listing in September 2026, and they move with season and exchange rates. Every GetYourGuide listing here has free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Several flights are sold on both sites, so both appear.
| Flight | Operator | Sold on | From | Time | Landing | Book |
|---|
| Scenic Flight with Alpine Landing | INFLITE | GetYourGuide | $217 | 25 min | Alpine | Check dates |
| Alpine Vista | Helicopter Line | GetYourGuide | $220 | 25 min | Alpine, seasonal snow | Check dates |
| 25-Minute Alpine Landing | INFLITE | Viator | $222 | 25 min | Alpine | Check dates |
| Alpine Vista | Helicopter Line | Viator | $231 | 25 min | Alpine, seasonal snow | Check dates |
| Helicopter Flight with Alpine Landing | Glacier Helicopters | GetYourGuide | $277 | 30 min | Alpine | Check dates |
| Glentanner High Country Heli Hike | Glentanner | GetYourGuide | $283 | 4 h | Alpine, then walk | Check dates |
| Glentanner High Country Heli Hike | Glentanner | Viator | $290 | 4 h | Alpine, then walk | Check dates |
| Scenic 35 Minute Flight | Glacier Helicopters | Viator | $291 | 35 min | Alpine | Check dates |
| Mount Cook and Beyond, from Tekapo | Air Safaris | GetYourGuide | $300 | 50 min | None listed | Check dates |
| Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo | INFLITE | GetYourGuide | $314 | 45 min | Tasman Glacier | Check dates |
| Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo | INFLITE | Viator | $321 | 45 min | Tasman Glacier | Check dates |
| Alpine Explorer | Helicopter Line | GetYourGuide | $323 | 35 min | Alpine, seasonal snow | Check dates |
| Alpine Explorer | Helicopter Line | Viator | $339 | 35 min | Alpine, seasonal snow | Check dates |
| Tasman Glacier & National Park | Southern Lakes | GetYourGuide | $363 | 40 min | Tasman Glacier | Check dates |
| Mountains High | Helicopter Line | GetYourGuide | $374 | 40 min | Snow, subject to snow levels | Check dates |
| Tasman Glacier Helicopter Flight | Glacier Helicopters | GetYourGuide | $374 | 40 min | Tasman Glacier | Check dates |
| Glacier Highlights Ski Plane | INFLITE | Viator | $380 | 45 min | Tasman Glacier | Check dates |
| Glacier Highlights Helicopter | INFLITE | Viator | $380 | 45 min | Tasman Glacier | Check dates |
| Mountains High | Helicopter Line | Viator | $393 | 40 min | Snow, 5–10 min | Check dates |
| Grand Circle, helicopter or ski plane | INFLITE | GetYourGuide | $428 | 55 min | Tasman Glacier | Check dates |
| Grand Circle Ski Plane | INFLITE | Viator | $438 | 55 min | Tasman Glacier | Check dates |
| Tasman Glacier and West Coast | Glacier Helicopters | GetYourGuide | $477 | Not listed | Glacier | Check dates |
| 50-Minute Aoraki Scenic Flight | Southern Lakes | GetYourGuide | $477 | 50 min | Tasman Glacier | Check dates |
| Aoraki & The Glaciers | Helicopter Line | GetYourGuide | $500 | 55 min | Snow, subject to snow levels | Check dates |
| Grand Glacier Experience | Glacier Helicopters | Viator | $501 | 50 min | Glacier | Check dates |
| Mount Cook and The Glaciers | Helicopter Line | Viator | $525 | 55 min | Seasonal snow | Check dates |
| Tasman Glacier Ride and Hike | Mt Cook Glacier Guiding | GetYourGuide | $569 | 3 h | Glacier, 2 h on ice | Check dates |
| Heli Hike to the Tasman Glacier | Helicopter Line | GetYourGuide | $569 | 3 h | Glacier, 2 h on ice | Check dates |
| Tasman Glacier Heli-Hike | Helicopter Line | Viator | $597 | 3 h | Glacier, 2 h on ice | Check dates |
| The Adventurer Heli-hike | Mt Cook Glacier Guiding | Viator | $597 | 3 h | Glacier, 2 h on ice | Check dates |
Where a flight is on both sites, GetYourGuide is cheaper in every pair here, by $5 to $28, but Viator sometimes has far more reviews: The Helicopter Line’s 55-minute flight has 141 there against 45 on GetYourGuide, and Mountains High has 61 against 7.
What drives the price
Four things separate a $217 flight from a $597 one.
- Minutes in the air. The 25-minute flights cost $217 to $231, the 40 and 45-minute flights $314 to $393, and the 55-minute flights that cross the Main Divide to Fox and Franz Josef $428 to $525. Listed times include the landing.
- Landing type. An alpine landing puts you on a mountain site where snow depends on the season. A glacier landing puts you on the upper Tasman Glacier, which has snow and ice all year. Glacier Helicopters charges $277 for 30 minutes with an alpine landing and $374 for 40 minutes with a Tasman Glacier landing.
- Crossing to the West Coast. The long flights add the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, and that is most of the extra cost.
- Guiding on the ice. A heli-hike adds a mountain guide, boots, crampons and a waterproof jacket, and three hours of someone’s time. That is why the Tasman heli-hikes start at $569 even though the flying is short.
Cost per minute
Dividing the price by the listed flight time shows where the value sits. These are our own sums from the listing prices.
| Flight | From | Minutes | About per minute |
|---|
| Air Safaris, from Tekapo (no landing) | $300 | 50 | $6.00 |
| INFLITE ski plane and helicopter combo | $314 | 45 | $6.98 |
| INFLITE Grand Circle | $428 | 55 | $7.78 |
| INFLITE 25-minute alpine landing | $217 | 25 | $8.68 |
| Helicopter Line Alpine Vista | $220 | 25 | $8.80 |
| Southern Lakes Tasman Glacier | $363 | 40 | $9.08 |
| Helicopter Line Aoraki & The Glaciers | $500 | 55 | $9.09 |
| Glacier Helicopters alpine landing | $277 | 30 | $9.23 |
| Helicopter Line Mountains High | $374 | 40 | $9.35 |
The combo is the best value per minute of the flights that leave from Mount Cook, and it lands on the glacier. Air Safaris is cheaper per minute because it is a fixed-wing flight that does not land. Our 25 vs 40 vs 55-minute guide covers what each extra block of minutes shows you.
Children’s prices
The GetYourGuide and Viator figures above are the adult “from” price. Some operators publish lower child fares on their own sites, in New Zealand dollars. These are the operators’ own NZD rates at the time of writing:
| Operator rate (NZD) | Adult | Child |
|---|
| INFLITE ski plane and helicopter combo | NZ$549 (12+) | NZ$499 (0–12) |
| INFLITE Glacier Highlights | NZ$649 (12+) | NZ$599 (0–12) |
| INFLITE Grand Circle | NZ$749 (12+) | NZ$699 (0–12) |
| Mt Cook Glacier Guiding heli-hike | NZ$899 | NZ$899 (9–16) |
The Helicopter Line charges one per-person rate, and infants under 15 kg sit on an adult’s knee. INFLITE lets infants ride on a lap but still allocates and charges a seat. Glacier Helicopters’ listings ask children aged 4 to 14 who weigh over 15 kg to have their own seat. Our families guide matches flights to children’s ages.
Weight limits
Helicopters are balanced by weight, so every operator asks for it. INFLITE sets a limit of 116 kg (255 lb) per person and may weigh you at check-in. The Helicopter Line takes up to six passengers or 480 kg combined per helicopter, and 150 kg per person on its heli-hike. Air Safaris’ limit is 130 kg. INFLITE’s listings say that if a flight’s combined weight is too high, you may be moved to another departure or can cancel for a full refund. INFLITE and Southern Lakes assign seats on the day by weight, so a front seat cannot be booked.
What’s not included
- Transport. Hotel pickup is not included on the Alpine Vista, the Glacier Helicopters flights, Southern Lakes or Air Safaris. The Helicopter Line’s heli-hike includes pickup in the village, and its Alpine Explorer, Mountains High and 55-minute flights can include transport from Mount Cook Village.
- Food and drink. No scenic flight here lists food or drink as included. The Glentanner heli hike includes snacks and drinks.
- Parking. The combo includes free parking at Aoraki/Mount Cook Airport.
- Drones. Recreational drones are banned across the national park, and INFLITE does not allow selfie sticks on board.
If the weather cancels your flight, INFLITE, The Helicopter Line and Southern Lakes rebook you or refund in full. For the landing that matters most to you, see our snow landing guide, our ranked picks or the Tasman Glacier guide for the heli-hikes. Our breakdown of the alpine landing flight and the homepage comparison have more detail. When you have a date, check availability.
